By Horacio Rentería
SAN DIEGO — Most stage productions tend to feature casts in which women predominate, or at least play a central role in the story.
For that reason, The Hombres, written by Tony Meneses and directed by James Vásquez, is particularly intriguing.
Meneses, in an interview titled How The Hombres Redefines Masculinity, acknowledged that writing the play was far from easy and represented an unusual challenge in his career as a playwright.
“I usually write plays centered on women, and even my favorite playwrights are women,” he told interviewers Leo Angulo and Danielle Mages Amato.
He then raises a key question that ultimately becomes central to the play’s narrative: Why is there such discomfort around men, and where does it come from?
The answer emerged quickly and was rooted in his own life experience. It originated during his time as a yoga instructor in New York City and through observing members of his family, “particularly some Latino men who did not know how to manage stress.”
FOR A LIMITED SPACE
Indeed, the play opens with a fierce struggle over limited space between four rugged construction workers of Mexican descent and two younger, more “sensitive” men devoted to yoga and the arts.
Without question, actor Johnny Beauchamp, in the role of Julián, immediately captures the audience’s attention. He portrays a young gay man with extraordinary talent for dance and yoga, as well as the intelligence to quickly realize that he finds himself surrounded by a world of construction workers whom he accurately describes as embodying “pure bravado.”
MACHISMO AND CONFUSION
From the outset, expressions such as “gringo” (a term many Latinos use to refer to Americans), “este güey,” “money,” “this faggot,” “mamacita, I love Latina women,” and “Dios mío” are woven into the macho vocabulary of the “construction workers,” who clearly carry the profile of Latino immigrants.
They become involved in a series of situations that provoke continuous laughter from the audience.
The characters Pedro (played by Jesse J. Pérez), young Beto (Jason Sánchez), and Héctor (portrayed by Martín Solá), along with understudies Marcel Ferrín and Matthew Martínez Hannon—who alternate in the roles of Julián, Beto, Héctor, and Pedro—find themselves immersed in a sea of arguments. Shouting and raising their voices in an effort to prove themselves right, they ultimately appear distressed and confused, unable to reach any concrete agreement.
BECAUSE OF HIS SEXUAL ORIENTATION
Julián experiences this whirlwind of confusion constantly. Because of his sexual orientation, he becomes the target of attacks from Beto, an impulsive young man whose angry outbursts reveal a supposed disdain for Julián.
He even calls his coworkers “traitors,” only to later kiss Julián—a classic contradiction often associated with traditional machismo.
Still, all is not lost for Julián. He has a loyal friend whom he feels truly understands him: Miles, portrayed by Robert Lenzi. Miles embodies an elegant and compassionate man who talks with Julián, shares his yoga practice, and encourages him through difficult moments, helping him overcome periods of depression.
THE TWO SPACES
In the end, however, strengthened by the energy of the altar created for yoga practice and guided by reflection and reason, the four men come together.
They embrace both worlds—the space of yoga and the space of construction—demonstrating that it is possible to find common ground and resolve apparent conflicts when dialogue and goodwill prevail among people.